Mail-box-signal attachment



March 17, 1925.

R. T. ALLAN MAIL BOX SIGNAL ATTACHMENT amnion Filed March 25, 1924 Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES ROLLO THOMAS ALLAN, OF WEST HOMESTEAQPENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BOX-SIGNAL ATTACHMENT.

Application filed March 25, 1924. Serial No. 701,808.

To all about it may concern;

Be it known that I, Home THoMAs ALLAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vest Homestead, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Mail-Box-Signal Attachment, of which. the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail boxes or receptacles where the same are used in connection with rural delivery and has for its principal ob-- ject to provide a signal attachment whereby a person may readily ascertain whether or not there is mail in the box.

A further object of the invention isto provide a signal attachment of the above mentioned character, which is adapted to be operated simultaneously with the opening of the closure whereby the mail may be deposited in the box, the signal being adapted to be manually returned to its non-indicat ing position after a person has removed the mail from the mail box.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable and furthermore adapted for the purposes for which it is designated.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l. is a front elevation of mail box with my signal attachment in position thereon, parts being broken away,

,Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof with the signal member in an inoperative position, and

Figure 3 is asimilar View showing the signal member in an indicating or operative position.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates generally a mail box which is of the well known construction and is provided with the hinged cover 2. Ordinarily with the mail boxes now in use in connection with the rural free delivery of themail, a person does not know whether or not mail has been deposited in his box by the letter carrier and consequently must spend considerable time in going to the mail box to ascertain whether or not there has been deposited in the mail box mail. For the purpose of preventing the loss of unnecessary time, I have provided an attachment whereby when mail is deposited in the box by the letter carrier or by the person for collection by the letter carrier, a signal will be given to indicate that mail is in the box, thus saving both the mail carrier and the person owning the box a great dealof time.

My signal attachment comprises the provision of a crank lever 8 which extends The upstanding portion 4 and the flag carried thereby normally extends adjacent and parallel with the side. of the mail box in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing. The inner end 6 of the cranklever 3 is adapted tobe engaged with the actuating means to be presently described.

'The actuating means for the signal comprises an elongated rod or lever 7, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to the hinged cover 2 in the manner clearly illustrated at 8 in the drawing and is supported preferably adjacent the side of the mail box in which the crank lever is supported. The lower end of the elongated rod 7 is provided with the" longitudinally extending slot 9 and which normally engages the inner end of the crank lever 3.

When the parts are arranged as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, the signal member is supported in an inoperative position and thus indicates that there is no mail in the box. When a mail carrier deposits mail in the box, the hinged cover 2 is raised so that the mail may be deposited therein and upon the raising of the cover 2, the rod 7 being connected at its upper end thereto and the lower end of the rod being in engagement with the inner end of the crank lever 3, will cause the crank lever 3 to rotate so that the signal flag 5 will be swung outwardly to the position shown in Figure 3 of the draw ing, whereby the same will extend beyond the front face of the mail box and thus incliill) After mail has been deposited in the box,

the hingecover 2 is turned to its normal position and the downward movement of the elongated rod 7 in the mail box 1 will not interfere with the operation of the signal member 5 which has been extended. The slot 9 permitting the rod 7 to return to its normal position without causing the rolling movement of the crank lever 3.

After the mail has been removed from the receptacle, the signal flag is returned to its normal position by the person removing the mail by pushing the flag supporting arm 4 inwardly to the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. This operation permits the crank lever to return to its normal position whereby the raising of the cover or closure 2 will again cause the flag to be moved outwardly to an indicating position.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that a mail box signal attachment has been provided for use in connection with rural delivery whereby considerable time will be saved both by the letter carrier and by the person owning the box and will prevent the unnecessary trips to.

the mail box in order to ascertain whether or not mail is deposited therein. Theparts are so arranged as not to interfere with the operation of the opening or closing of the hinge cover and furthermore will not interfere with the depositing of the mail or the removal of the same from the box. The material from which my improved signal attachment is constructed, may be of any suitable character, and I do not wish to limit myself to the particular kind of material to be used.

A mail box signal of the above mentioned character will at all times be positive in its operation and furthermore will not require the material changing of the construc tion in the mail box in order to place the signal attachment in position thereon. A device of this character may be manufactured at a very low cost and will further be strong and durable.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the what I claim is In combination with a mail box having a hinged cover, a visual signal associated therewith comprising a crank lever extendinvention,

'ing through the side of the box adjacent the bottom thereof, the outer end of said lever having an upstanding portion provided with a signal member thereon, an elongated rod disposed in said box adjacent the aforementioned sign and pivotally connected at its upper end to said cover, the lower end of said rod having an elongated slot. provided therein for engagement with the inner end of the crank lever, said crank lever adapted to swing the upstanding portion and flag member carried thereon outwardly to an indicating position upon the opening of said cover.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

ROLLO THOMAS ALLAN. 

